Slipper



Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM HUBBARD, OF .'DOLGEVILLE, NEW YORK SLIIPPER p Application filed May 28, 1928. Serial No. 281,163.

My present invention relates to completely formed and finished heels adapted to be applied bodily to soft-soled slippers and to the process of forming such heels and of making slippers by using such heels7 and to soft-soled slippers having a ri id or solid heel.

, `One purpose of `t is invention is to provide as a new articleof manufacture a completely formed and finished heel adapted to be applied bodily to soft-soled slippers or slippers for indoor Wear by nailing the said pre-iinished heels to the slipper by nails passing from the inside of the slipper down into the pre-formed heel and further to provide featuresof constructing such heels that will render it `Well adapted for the use intended and allovs7 the heel to be securely fastened in place and at the same time have the heel neat in appearance and durable in use.

\ A further purpose is to provide a preformed heel especially constructed and shaped to fit the heel of a soft-soled slipper and to hold the heel portion of the slipper permanently in proper position and to reinforce and strengthen the counter of the slipper if one be used.

Further purposes of this invention areto point out processes for the economical and eicient making of sucha completely formed heel and to show the processof` applying such a heel to a soft-soled slipper and further to provideas a newarticle of manufacture a soft-soled slipper having a solid or rigid heel.

In the manuacture of hard-soled shoes and slippers the hard sole extends through for its full thickness or even at increased thickness to the rear of the heelandprovides the base `or foundation layerfor the heel of sufficient thickness and stiiness to have built thereyupon the `successive intermediate layers of heel blanks of leather or substitutes therefor by nailing said layers to the heel portion of `the hard sole by nails pointed into and through the sole from outside the slipper. Tothis partly formed heel the lower lift of `leather'is secured by nails passing upward `into the other layers of the heel. The pro )eating edges ofthe heel portion of the sole and of the heel blanks and in some cases the edge ofthe lower lift are all togethertrinnned down to the proper size and shape for the completed heel.

Heretofore there has not been produced a soft-soled slipper having a rigid heel for the reason that the absence of a Stiff rigid heel portion on the sole has prevented the makil'lg of stili or rigid heels. It has been long recognized that soft-soled slippers are comfortable for the front of the foot but are uncomfortable for the back of the foot in that even in arest slipper the heel of the foot needs a stiff heel of appreciable height. I have overcome the above mentioned disadvantages of soft-soled slippers by forming a slipper which is soft-soled but has a rigid'heel of appreciable height and one which furthermore is strong enough and properly shaped to support acounter which is necessary to give further comfort and reinforcement to t' having a counter and embodying my invent1on.

even in a soft-soled "Fig.` 2 is .a' similar `view'v of a slipper with out a counter but embodying this invention Fig. 3 is a perspective vieuT on a larger scale of a completely formed and finished slipper heel embodying my invention. y

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4--4 of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 is a similar longitudinal sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. T Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 4 after the leather cup lift l2, the two or more layers of leather board 13 andlfi and the leather top lift 15 have been fastened together by the upper and lower `metal slugs 16 and 17 respectively but before the heel has E been compressed into its ultimate form and i' before its. edges have been trimmed or its edges and surfaces finished.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view online 7*-7 of the slipper shown in Fig. 8 is a vertical cross sectional view through a compression mechanism adapted l to compress a heel with a heel therein in the shape the parts have before the compression step takes place.

lfinished heel 22 shown ',stant-ially parallel faces.V

Fig` 9 is a vertical cross sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in a more particular description Figs. 1 and 2 show indoor slippers having soft soles 1S sewed about theY sides and toe to the upper 19 of the cominon construction of soft soled or indoor slip-' pers. Each'of these slippers vis provided with a relatively stiff shank 20 extending 'rearw ardly through the instep portion of the slip' per substantially to the rear end'of the heel' portion of the slipper but with the soft sole terminating slightly back of the front edge 21 ofthe pre-formed heel22. Y

The forni of slipper shown in Fig. 1 is provided with a counter 23 and an outside quarter 24 'andan inside quarter 25. In the form of slipper shown in Fig. 2 my .pre-formed yheel y 'is combined with a soft no counterrand no inside or outside quarter.

soled slipper having The pre-formed or completely formed and separat-ely in Fig. 3 includes a cup lift 1.2,..two or more layers of leatherboa-rds v13 and 14 and a leather top lift 15.v The'original shape, size and arrangement of these parts when first assembled is clearly shownV ini the transverse vertical sectional view thereof Fig. 6. VIt will be seenv thatfthe cup lift 12 andthe top lift'15and the lowerlift or lifts'14 of leather boards or the dike, are all fiat, that ishaving sub- The one or more upper-layers 13'of lea-ther'board, however, are

' as shown in Fig.- 6 plano-concave, thatv is level towards/theI cup lift and concave at thesurface towards the lower .as shown in the sectional view, Fig. 6. W ith -P the cup lift 12'the intermediate lifts 13 land 14 and the leather top lft 15 in this 'posithrough thecup lift;12,

tio-n the said four parts are fastened or nailed together bythe upper and lower metal, slugs 16 and 17 respectively7 placed* at intervals about the said horse shoe shaped part ofv the heel where the intermediatelayers. 13 and are in contact or nearlyv in contact.. 1t will` vslugs 16. come down the Vthick part of the lifty 13 into vand preferably .through the lift 14 and somewhat into the top lift 15..l The loWersl-ugs on the otherhandfare driven first be seen thatthe upper I- into the leather top .lift and pass through the of the other intermediate intermediate layer 14 .andinto the thiclrpart layer 13.

. The-heel sofar assembled andy withl its parts fastened together is'lthen placed nside of va ring- 40 and "properlyrshaped upper and lower dies or shaping 'ineinberslOar-fd 41 as shown in Fig. 8 are forced together with great pressure so that the intermediate layer 13 is compressed closely down against the opposing level surface of the other intermediate lift 14, leaving a concave surface on this lift 13 on its face toward the cup lift and the cup lift is bodily curved down with the partsassuining the positionsho'wnin Figs. 4 and 5. lt will be understood that after this compression step the'parts will remain persharply and then more gradually towards the F" flat or slightly :concave main central portion -33'of this whole: face of the heel. Preferably about the forward third ofv this face of the vheelis depressed slightly belowrthe remaining part as .indicated by the slight shoulder 35 'in :Figsf and15. f

The heel so permanently compressed and withzitsparts securely fastenedtogether by the said'metal slugs is then successively put through the .different'finishing steps 'which iii-detail will ordinarily beias follows: First, .the heel-s will be `sanded :with coarse paper .which step Vtakes theplace ofthe trimming done upon a" heel built up upon a shoe: Then the heelis sanded with medium grit and then with fine grit then theheel is inked as black 'orlbrown and then burnished 'on allsides and usually the levelfsurface 31 of the heel seat is treated with a'beaded wheel andthe Vouter n fedgeiofthe' heel 7if desired is kornanieiitcd by a wheel.` l The heel is now all formed, shaped and completely. finished'fand'ready to be attached to `a soft-soledslipper as a finished heelpby nailing from.v th-e insideof'the sliper. 'pletely formed and finished heels are really :separate units' and may and ordinarily. will be made in one factory and sold as separate ,articles to be affixed to a. soft-soled slipper in iii-iotherfactory; n

'llieconstruction ofa soft-soled slipper by the use of' the said pre-formed and-neatly 'finished heel 22ivill4 now be described, and lirst in connection with a. slipper such as Kshown in Fig. v1 having a counter'23 with i the outside qua-rter 24land inside quarter 25. VThe forward part ofitliis slipperfwill be-made `in the usualway ofY a soft-soled slipper by p sewing the 'upper' 19 to the soft'asole 18 as'far barkas the sof'tjsole extends, -namelyto a point a little kto tliurreary 'of thef'ront" face 21 efr-hie heel; The slipper is :provided with" a s'hfankf '2Q ofi'fstiff 'material which preferably 'nds substantiallyto'vt-lie?reaiaendof' 'he ltV .will be understood that suchpconir'ico iio ias

Vand likewise of the outside quarter 24 are turned in below the shank viewing the slipper as ultimately used but above the shank as the slipper at this stage is turned over in the hands of the workmen with the sole facing .1 fiber tuck 37 usually placed below the inner or sock lining 38. The inturned edge of the inside quarter 25 will usually be placed between the shank and the said fiber tuck. At the central portion of the heel there will be the necessary amount of hair felt filler 39 to round out or level the bottom of the heel portion of the slipper between the inturned edges of the counter and outer quarter.

The slipper made substantially as described except that the sock lining 38 is not yet in place, is now ready to have fastened thereto the pre-formed heel 22. This is done by fitting the heel portion of the slipper into the concave face with the heel seat accuratecounter and fastening the slipper to the heel by nails or screw-like nails 42 passing downwardly through the` fiber tuck 37 if that be 1 used and through the shank 20 and well down into the finished heel but not therethrough. The sock lining 38 is then placed in the slipper covering the heads of the main nails 42 and the slipper is then completely finished.

It will be noted particularly that the preformed and completely finished heel 22 is rigid and of sufficient height to make the slipper comfortable. It will be seen also that the slightly cup-shaped upper surface of the heel together with the sharply raised heel seat around its outer edges is rigidly shaped to hold the portion of the slipper thereabove in the desired slightly curved or recessed form which will render the slipper comfortable and maintain the inner surface of the slipper permanently in that form. The curved face 32 of the heel seat supports the counter at the bend of the counter and so helps to hold the counter inwardly against the heel of the foot in snugly engaging position as has been done heretofore only with y hard-soled shoes.

The relatively stiff shank 2O extending from just forward of the instep to the rearward portion of the pre-formed heel forms the main basis for the rigid securing of the foot, but have provided the heel portion 'of the slipper with a construction very similar to that used in an ordinary shoe in thatin thefull form of the invention thehcelof the foot is supported by a counter and a rigid heel.` The soft sole of the slipper, however, is not interposed betweenthe rigid heel and the counter and its adjacent inner and outer quarters as such soft sole interposed between these two parts would make a spring heel or anelastic heel. 1I therefore terminate the soft solesubstantially at the breast of the heel by bringing just the extremity of the soft sole between the pre-formed heel and the counter and shank enough to hold the soft sole in place but not enough to interfere with the rigidity and solidness of having the rigid heel fastened directly to the rear body of the slipper consisting of the shank or in the full construction of my invention the shank, the counter and the inner and outer quarters. The instep portion of the slipper, that is from the ball of the foot to the heel, is a compromise as it were between a hardsoled slipper and a soft-soled slipperin that the soft sole extends from the front of the foot to the heel but is supported and made comfortably rigid from the ball of the foot to the breast ofthe heel by the shank extending from the ball of the foot to and beyond the breast of the heel. By combining with the features of a soft-soled slipper terminating at the breast of the heel but provided with a counter of stiilymaterial extending to the rear ofthe heel and forming on this counter a rigid heel and preferably a rigid heel having an upward extending ridge about its sides and rear to support the counter I have produced a slipper construction which has a firmness about the heel that is necessary for comfort but which has not been accomplished in a soft-soleil slipper before and I have avoided the softness or springing action at and about the heel'heretofore common with soft-soled slippers.

The rigid heel of my slipper has to be preformed because there is `no rear part of a hard sole on the slipper to start the building up of an ordinar hard heel. The rear part of the shank is tliie rigid part of the slipper that is made the basis of my rigid heel construction but it is not practical to build a heel piece by piece thereon and then finish that heelby trimming it around the sides, rear and breast as is done in the ordinary shoe construction because such built-up heel would have to be trimmed right to the adjacent surface of the soft leather outer quarter and the breast of the heel to the soft leather of the soft sole which cannot be done Without cutting such leather of the outer quarter or the leather of the soft sole. This problem is not present in the hard-soled shoe or slipper because the thick hard sole provides a basis for building the heel thereon and allows the y leo extended edge of the sole and the heel built thereon to be trimmed without damage to the-outer quarter and 'allows the breast of the heel to be trimmed as the hard sole is not so readily affected by the trimming operation atthe breast of the'heel and is not damaged if the knife or other tool cuts into the h -ard sole slightly; By ,using a preformed heel and evenv aheel which has been inished to the last stepthe danger of cutting or damaging the softleather of the outer quarter or the soft ,leathervof the soft vsole jus-t forward of the breast of the heel is -obviated Wherefaslipper is formed asin Fig. 2 with one of' my pre-formed heels but without a counter or inner or outer quarter the method of attachment isy shown in Fig. 9. The soft sole projects the desired distance back upon the cup-shaped surfaceY of the heel and the stiff shank neXt above the soft sole extends substantially to the back of the heel and is fastened to the heel by the main nails 4t2 driven from within the slipper down into the finished heel as already described. The hair felt filling 44 and the insolek or sock lining `43 are then placed in positionl and its edges securely glued or cemented in position with itsy lower face adjacent its outer edge fitting fiat upon the level face 31 of the heel seat. For slippers ofthis type the facel will be formed alittle wider thanused in the slipper of Fig. l in order to be sure that a secure and neat joint. is efected between the lining n and the heel.

A What I' claim as newand desire to secure by Letters lPaten-t is :M

l. As a new article of manufacture a slipperl having-a soft soleterminating near the i breast ofthe heel, a shank of sti material extending beyond the rear of the sole, and a preformed rigid heel secured to the shank.

2. A slipper having a soft sole terminating near the `breast of the heel, a shank of stif material extending Isubstantially'to the rear Q i of the heel, acountenand a pre-formed rigid heelfv Y 31 A slipperghaving a soft sole terminating near. the breast of the heel, a shank of 'stiff material eX-tending substantially to the rear ofthe heel, and a rigid hee-i formed and fini-shed before being lappli-ed to the 'slipper and fastened to the slipper by nails passing vfrom within the slipper through the shank into the heel. f

. In witness whereof I have raiiixed my signay WILLIAM HUBBARD. 

